Sister Mary Theresa Kane, RSM, 87, entered eternal life on August 22, 2024, at McAuley Hall Health Care Center in Watchung, New Jersey. She was a Sister of Mercy for 69 years.

Sister Theresa was born Margaret Joan in the Bronx on Sept. 24, 1936. She was the fourth child of Philip and Mary Theresa Faherty Kane, both of County Galway, Ireland. She lived with her family in the South Bronx until she entered the convent in 1955.

She was predeceased by her sisters Mary Gillen, Sister Anne Kane, RSM, and Rose Kane, and her brother Patrick Kane.

Sister Theresa is survived by her younger sisters Catherine Hartdegen and Barbara DiMaria; her nieces Mary Beth Burke (Mike) and Susan O’Neill; her nephews Anthony (Carrie), Michael (Krissy), and Nicholas (Kelly) DiMaria, and David (Janet) and Thomas (Debbie) Gillen; and 17 great-nieces and great-nephews.

All who knew Sister Theresa recognized her great love for her God, her family, friends, her Irish heritage, and for the church. She was deeply committed to religious life and particularly to her Sisters of Mercy.

Sister Theresa was a natural leader. Throughout her ministerial career, she served the people of God in her religious community, in health care administration, in education as a high school campus minister and from 1996-2023 as an associate professor and then volunteer at Mercy College (University) in Dobbs Ferry.

In each of these ministries and many others, Sister Theresa’s leadership was marked by love, generosity, inclusiveness, professionalism, and compassion for all.

Her roles in community administration began at the young age of 29. Beginning in 1966, she was a councilor/secretary provincial and then the provincial of the New York Province. In 1977, Sister Theresa was elected president of the Religious Sisters of Mercy of the Union, which included nine provinces across the country with sisters serving in a number of Latin and South American countries. The following year, Sister Theresa was elected president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), an organization composed of many different communities of religious women from across the country. It was in this role that on October 7, 1979, she greeted Pope John Paul II during his visit to the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., and in her own simple and courageous way asked for greater involvement of women in the Catholic Church. From that moment until her dying day on August 22 of this year, Sister Theresa gave her prayer, time, energy, and giftedness to fostering the rights of women in the church and the world. She was sought out as a speaker on behalf of women both nationally and internationally. Her words were powerful, but her personal example was an exemplary witness to all.

Memorial contributions may be made in Sister Theresa’s name to the Sisters of Mercy, 150 Ridge Road, Hartsdale, NY 10530 or to the Aisling Irish Community Center, 990 McLean Ave., Yonkers, NY 10704.